


All We've Ever Known

by let_me_reload



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Arthur Morgan Has Low Self-Esteem, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, High Honor Arthur Morgan, Horses, Major Spoilers, Partners to Lovers, Slow Burn, Video Game: Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018), hosea has a daughter, i havent written in a while please excuse me, i just want the best for him, kinda alternate universe but not really, not a fix it fic but kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:07:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24675844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/let_me_reload/pseuds/let_me_reload
Summary: Hosea and Bessie Mathews had been trying to have a baby since they got married with no luck. That is until they have a beautiful baby girl,Viola. Soon after she turns 5 the small family joins Dutch Van der Linde in his pursuit of a greater America. She grows up alongside the band of misfits and outlaws and learns to fight her way through a dying wild west alongside the crew. Eventually finding a family outside of her own.(Previously titled: and we go back)
Relationships: Abigail Roberts Marston/John Marston, Arthur Morgan/Original Female Character(s), Bessie Matthews/Hosea Matthews
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	1. Prologue

“Viola slowed down!” Bessie laughed as she chased after her daughter who had taken off towards the water. “PLease dear, we can't run that fast.” She clutched her straw hat to her head and pulled her husband along. Before she could protest any more Viola had jumped into the lake. She stayed underwater for a while before resurfacing and laughing heartily. 

“Sorry ma, I just couldn't wait any longer!” She giggled and began to float on her back. She closed her eyes and just felt the sun on her face and her hair begin to sway in the water. Hosea and Bessie took a seat on a rock near the shore. 

“She sure is a wild thing.” Dutch said as he lit a cigarette and passed the pack to his older friend. He took it. 

“Oh yeah, you shoulda seen her when she was no taller than my knees. She was a handful.” Hosea chuckled and Bessie laughed. Dutch smiled softly as he stared into the lake observing the girl he’s watched grow up for the last five years. The trio didn’t talk much after that, they just watched Viola swim through the cool lake water. 

As the sky began to change shades and Viola began to dry off Dutch and Hosea began to set up camp for the night while Bessie made dinner. They were heading west after a successful bank job in a small town, it had been time for something new. Soon the tents were put up and the fire was roaring to life. 

“Viola dear why don't you go put on some dry clothes and then hang your wet things by the fire. Well eat when you’re done.” Hosea told her daughter who tiredly nodded and went to her single person tent and changed into her night clothes. No need for dirtying regular clothes. Besides, the only person outside the family she was seeing was Dutch. But he was basically her second father.

As she pulled her chemise over her head and a fresh pair of linens she heard rustling outside and grabbed her knife before running back out in her bare feet.  
There was a boy in the camp. No more than 14, four years older than her, he was trying to steal food from their wagon. Hosea and Dutch both had their guns drawn and the poor boy only had a small dagger to defend himself with. 

“Please sir I didn't mean no harm, I was just tryna’ eat.” The boy pleaded and the two men looked at each other, shared a knowing glance, and holstered their weapons. 

“Alright,” Dutch said, walking towards the young boy who himself lowered his knife. Dutch put an arm around the boy and led him to a spot by the campfire. “You look like a young man, why you robbin’ from a bunch of lowlifes in the forest, dont you got parents back home?” The boy looked to have gulped ass fear seemed to take over his face. 

“No sir, m-my daddy was hung not 5 months ago and my momma died when i was 6. I haven’t eaten in days.” after being closer to the fire it was apparent his cheeks were not chiseled as Viola thought, they were hollow with hunger. His clothes hung loosely to his body and his eyes held nothing in them. A look dutch had only seen in veterans after the war. A look he’d seen in his own father's eyes. Viola couldn’t help but step closer. She walked to her mother who wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He looked at her for a moment before looking back to Dutch,who still had his arm around him. 

Dutch shared another look with Hosea before unwrapping his arm from the boy and placing his hand on his knees. “What's your name son?”

The young boy’s eyes switched between both men, “A-Arthur Morgan.”

“Well Arthur I think you might not have to go hungry no more. What you say about staying here with us. We aren't good men but we are better than most.” Dutch said in his typical enthusiastic voice. The boy- Arthur looked confused. 

“W-What?”

“I said why don't you stay with me and my friends here, well treat ya right and give ya someplace to call home.” Dutch clasped a hand on the young Arthur’s back which seemed to knock him forward a bit. 

“This isn’t a trick? You ain't gon skin and kill me in my sleep?” He questioned.

“Oh heavens no boy!” This time it was bessie who spoke, She saw an opportunity for another child. An orphan with no place to go, what else could be better. She always wanted another kid but as hard they tried they just could do it. “We’ll keep you safe. Matter of fact you can even sleep in my daughters tent for the night, or until we can get you one of your own.” She suggested and the men smiled and agreed.

“I’m sorry what?” Viola said, stepping away from her mother. “You can not just give my tent away!” She stated and Bassie smacked her upside the head before pulling her close and whispering in her ear. 

“Stop it right now. This boy is in need of help and we are going to give it to him you hear. I don’t want any complaints or side comments, am I clear?” 

“But ma I-” 

“No buts, am I clear?” Bessie said in her scary mother voice. 

“Yes.” Viola said and huffed. She sat on a log in front of the fire and put her head in her hands. 

“Good, Alright come Arthur let's get you cleaned up and fed. You look like shit.” She said sweetly. The two walked towards the lake that just hours before Viola had been swimming in. 

Viola looked up to her father who stirred at the pot of stew hanging above the fire. “Dad she can’t really do that can she? I mean wear and I gonna sleep?” 

“You can sleep in your mom 's tent on your bedroll. It'll only be a couple of nights before he scurries off on us i'm sure. That or we buy him a tent.” He says sternly but offers his daughter a smile. She huffs and storms to her parents tent and grabs her bedroll. She angrily rolls it out and immediately lays down on it. Too angry to continue to talk, or even sleep for the matter she stays awake and stares at the canvas walls until slowly her eyelids begin to droop and she falls asleep. 

\--- --- ---

It's two months before Arthur gets his own tent after showing no signs of departing the group. He made some money helping a rancher in the near by town and was able to buy his own tent and belongings. After having nothing but the clothes on his back, the hat on his head, and the few trinkets he'd taken from his now foreclosed home, Arthur felt rich. He knew though to not spend his money all in one place, or so he’d been advised by Hosea. But he decided to treat himself with the last bit of his own personal money, so he bought a pack of premium cigarettes. He saw Dutch smoking this brand so he knew it musta been a good one. Arthur liked dutch and Hosea. They respected him and taught him more in two month than he ever learned in 13 years from his father. He also liked Bessie. She was kind towards him and reminded him of his mother. But as for Viola, he couldn’t quite tell what to think. His first impression of her was that she hated him after her outburst towards the tent situation. But after that it was like it didn’t happen because she didn't show anger towards him. But that was only because she didn't show anything towards him. She would speak to him, sit next to him, hell she wouldn’t even breath near him. Sometimes he would catch her looking but she would look away fast and act like nothing happened. She was strange. But she was the daughter of the man who had rescued her. He had no other choice but to be civil towards her. 

So, as she sat across from him at the fire eating her pheasant leg he continued to slice at the wood. The adults were playing a game of dominoes not too far away. 

“So why don’t you like me?” Arthur asked, suddenly not looking up from what he was doing. She almost didn't realize he was talking to her.

“What?”

“Why don't you like me?” He said again slowly. She threw her bone in the fire and stood up.

“I dont dont like you, but you took my tent.” She said sternly. Well, as stern as a ten year old could say something.

“That's it?” Arthur said. “That's all I did.”

“Yup.” She said amd then turned around and walked into the woods. She had to get away from him. She did not hate him but he took what was hers and no one had ever taken something from her. She hated the thought of her small family getting bigger. For all her life it was just her, ma, and pa, then five years ago when Dutch joined them. Or did they join Dutch. She could never tell. She knew pa was a criminal, she knew that's how he met Dutch. She overheard Pa tellin ma that he’d tried to pull one over on him and the next thing he knew dutch had bought him a whisky at the saloon and ever since then it's been the four of them. And she wished that’s how it would stay. But she couldn't tell that to Arthur. Then he would know too much about her, when she didnt know nothing about him. 

“Viola!” Arthur yelled from behind her and she began to walk faster through the woods. Though she was greatly smaller than him, as he was already as tall as Dutch, she was getting away.

That is until she tripped over a root in the ground. Viola tumbled down the hill before hitting a cluster of rocks, cutting open her leg, and then landing on her back at the bottom of the cliffside. 

“Viola!” Arthur hearing the commotion pick up the pace and got the the rocky edge that she had fallen from. He looked down and he saw her. Eyes wide open, blood pouring from her shin and a slight redness to her cheeks. “Viola?” He said quietly. She couldn't move her head to face him so she just moved her eyes. Tears were running down the side of her face but she couldn’t breath to let out any noise. 

“Arthur.” She said but it was barely audible. He understood. Carefully he raced down the side of the cliff and was able to get to her. He kneeled down beside her. Upon closer inspection he saw how banged up she was. Her ankle was twisted the wrong way, she had scraped all over her body and face, but there was an even deeper cut on her chin that would probably scar. 

“Okay… uh oh god… okay, Viola?” He asked and she let a hmph sound. “I’m-I’m gonna pick you up and take you to your parents and Dutch. OKay?” He said his voice was shaking, he was scared. He barely knew her and she looked like any minute she could pass out. Viols nodded her head. Slowly he placed her arms around his neck and scooped her up. He felt the sweat begin to bead on his forehead. With a quiet grunt he was on his feet and he was moving. As quickly as he could he was trying to get back to camp. He heard their voices calling his and Viola’s name.

“Hosea! Bessie!” He called out. She wasn’t heavy, but she was so banged up he didn’t know what else to do.

“Arthur?” He heard Hosea call. He started to move faster and he could almost see the clearing. 

“I need help!” He called once more and in seconds after shouting dutch and Hosea were by his side. 

“Dear god! Arthur what happened?” Dutch said after seeing Viola’s condition. 

“She fell and landed on her back.” He said and the three of them burst through the clearing. Immediately they head for the tent that caused this whole situation. 

“Oh my god Viola?” Bessie said as she chased after the three men. “Viola?” She said louder. Arthur placed her on the cot and immediately he was pushed aside as Bessie and Hosea took over. They started cleaning and attending her surface wound before she started to scream. 

“Honey, what's wrong, why are you screaming?” Hosea asked hurriedly but he got no answer. Viola couldn’t do anything but scream. Hosea and Bessie looked at each other before He remembered what Arthur said. “It’s her back.”

“What?” Bessie said. 

“She landed on her back.” He said and ran to his tent. He came back with a vile and a syringe. Arthur began to freak out. This was all his fault. If he would have just let it go then nothing would have happened. He was such an idiot sometimes. Couldn't think about anyone but himself. 

“What's that? What are you doing to her?” Arthur asked quickly. 

“It’s Morphine, it’ll stop the pain and hopefully knock her out.” Hosea said with a slight quiver to his voice. Dutch pulled Arthur back as Hosea put the needle in her arm and injected the serum. 

“It’s all my fault Dutch.” Arthur said quietly and began to cry. Dutch looked at him and pulled him in by the shoulder.

“It’s not your fault son, shit happens. People get injured. And all we can do when they get hurt is just be there for them.”  
And so he was, when he wasn't doing chores or out hunting, he was right by her side. He would tell her funny stories and tell her about the plants and animals he saw. Slowly the pair became closer as Viola got better. When she was ready to start moving about camp, he helped her. After a month of constantly being together they became unseperable. When they were in camp at least. 

But after a month or so of moving around quietly she was ready to go into town. She went with Bessie to buy food and supplies and while they were there she got a thank you gift for Arthur, she used her Birthday money to buy it. 

“Hey Arthur!” Viola called when they got back to camp. He was poking a stick in the mud drawing a picture of a deer he saw in the woods. He turned around and smiled when he saw her. “I got you something.” She said when she reached him. She gave him the package. 

He had a happy confused face on. “You didn’t have to get me anything.” He chuckled as he took off the brown paper wrapping. 

It was a Journal. 

“I thought you might want one, I always see you drawing in the dirt.” She looked at the deer on the ground. He smiled at her. 

“Thank you Viola, I've never had anything like this.” He said truly happy. 

“You’re welcome, I had to thank you for helping me when I was all messed up.” 

“Of course Viola, I’d do anything for you. You’re my family now.” 

“Family?” Viola said happy. 

“Yeah, Family”


	2. Mrs. Adler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 20 years after the prologue the gang is fleeing Blackwater and heading into the unknown at the top of a mountain. Ya know just like in the game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s a lot of in game dialogue on this chapter but some of things are said by different people due to the situations they are facing. I hope you all like the chapter!

“What the fuck happened on that boat?” Viola yelled to Arthur as she began to frantically pack up her tent. 

“I have no idea. All I know is that it was a set up. Someone must’ve told.” She looked over and watched as he began to throw the old photographs into his truck and closed it. He heaved the trunk into the wagon and began to take the poles of his tent down. 

“This is a fucking nightmare!” She growled through clenched teeth as she finished packing and put her things in Arthurs wagon. She really liked this spot. She thought that maybe this would be it, the final spot. The last place before California. Dutch always talked about California, an open spot where no one knew their names. A fresh start. But after today's disaster, She felt their chances of escaping this life were slim.

“PACK FASTER YOU MISERABLE BASTARDS!” Miss Frimshaw yelled for about the thousandths time. Viola rolled her eyes and began to harness her Shire to the wagon. She looked over and saw Arthur brushing down Boadicea and giving her a sugar cube. He tightened her saddle and just as he looped the last strap Lenny started yelling. 

“Pinkertons! Coming this way, we got to move. Now!” He said out of breath clutching his revolver for his life. 

As quick as she could Viola harnessed up or the other horse to the wagon and hopped on. With a yah, she started the line of misfits that began to race out of Blackwater. Dutch rode ahead and kept pace beside Viola. 

“Hey! Vi! We need to head to the mountains! They wont follow us up there, they wouldn’t be stupid enough too!” Dutch yelled up to her and she nodded. 

“You got it Dutch.” She said and flicked the reins harder and the wagon started to accelerate. And then the shots started. Viola pulled her pistol out of her holster as she looked back. The pinkertons and bounty hunters were right behind them. She murmured a ‘Shit’ under her breath and began firing. She hit two in the chest, one in the head, and she took out one of their horses. She scowled. She hated how the horses always ended up in the line of fire. She hated accidentally killing horses more than anything. 

And almost as if retaliation for shooting one of their horses. The pinkertons shot the horse right out from under Arthur. Viola watched as he flew out of the saddle as Boadicea went down. Arthur's horse of 15 years, gone in less than a minute. She watched as Charles pulled him by the back of the shirt and hoisted him onto the back of Taima. She heard Arthur scream profanities at the Pinkertons as he took almost all of them down himself. Charles began to ride hard and he made it to the front. Arthur jumped from the horse and onto their shared wagon. Viola reached out her hand and he took it so she pulled him up to the seat. 

“Take my rifle, it's right behind me.” Viola told him over the noise. He did and he started to mow down the agents and bounty hunters following them. They passed Hanging Dog Ranch and headed into the mountains. As soon as everyone felt the cold they all went through their stuff and grabbed their coats. Except for Viola. 

“Shit! Of fuckin course.” She grumbled as they started to go up the snowy hill. 

Arthur lit a cigarette. “What?” he puffed out the smoke.

“I forgot my jacket back at camp.” He handed her the cigarette and she took a long drag. She relaxed as the smoke swireled sound in her lungs and she slowly let it out. Next to her, Arthur began to dig around in his trunk until he found what he was looking for and turned back around in his seat. The wind and snow began to pick up speed.

“Here take this, it ain’t much but, it’ll keep you warm until we can find a place to build a fire.” He said and handed her his scout jacket. She eagerly took it and wrapped herself in it tightly. 

“Thank you Arthur.” She sighed, grateful for the man beside her. He gave her a slight smile and took the reins and began to guide the caravan. She kept her gaze on him for a little longer than normal. His eyes were so blue and his bone structure was so nice. 

Viola knew that Arthur was a good looking man but she didn't really get to know how good looking he actually was. He always had a slight frown on his face so when he smiled it was really apparent. When Arthur smiled it looked as if all the worries in the world were far off. Viola sighed, and her heart clenched when he noticed she was staring. 

“What? Do I got blood on my face?” He began to wipe at his face and she chuckled. 

“No, I was just looking at your ugly mug. There's nothing else but snow to look at.” Viola’s cheeks turned red. If it was from the cold or the embarrassment she couldn't tell. 

“Ah alright.” He said in a low gruff voice. 

Suddenly Charles appeared at the side of the wagon. 

“Dutch wants you to ride ahead and find somewhere to camp. The storms got too rough, and Daveys getting bad, he was shot in the stomach. We lost Jenny.” Charles said. 

“Jenny died?” Viola croaked. She knew the gunfire was bad but she didn’t think they would lose anyone else. 

“Yeah, I’m sorry Viola, I know you two were close.” He says and it's quiet for a minute. “Uh, here Arthur you can ride Taima I’ll switch with you.” Arthur slowed the wagon to a stop and they made a quick switch. Arthur scratched Taima’s neck and whispered something in her ear and was about to take off when Viola stopped him.

“Be safe, there's bears out there.” She told him. He chuckled and tipped his hat before zooming off. Charles motioned for the reins and Viola gave him a look. 

“With that hand? No way Charles. Just relax.” She said and he sighed and leaned back. 

They continued on through the storm. Eventually Dutch came up and started leading the caravan, holding his lantern out to try and see through the snow. 

Arthur’s scout jacket had provided some warmth but the further up the mountain they went the colder Viola got. A shiver had set in along with a constant teeth chatter. ‘Where is Arthur?’ She thought and tried to rub the heat back into her arms. Charles looked over at her. 

“What's wrong?” 

“Forgot my jacket.” She grumbled and he motioned for the reins once again and she shook her head. 

“I already told you not-”

“I know what you said and I don't care. Give me the reins and find a blanket or another jacket before you turn into an icicle.” Charles said sternly and She reluctantly gave him the reins before turning and rummaging in the wagon for her blanket. Upon finding it she wrapped it tightly around her body. 

Not long after, Swanson walked up top the front. 

“Abigail says he’s dyin’ Dutch. We’ll have to stop someplace.” 

“Okay, Arthur’s out lookin’ I sent him up ahead.” Dutch responded, his breath swirling in the wind. 

“If we don’t stop soon we’ll all be dyin’. This weather, it May.” Viola said quietly to Charles.

“I just hope the law got as lost as we did.” He grumbled back.

Almost immediately after, a person could be seen coming towards them in the snow. “There!” Viola said loudly to Dutch who looked up through the snow. 

“Arthur! Any luck?” Dutch called out. Arthur slowly looked up from underneath the brim of his father's old hat. 

“I found a place where we can get some shelter. Let Davey rest while he…” HIs voice trailed off and he looked away. “You know. An old mining town, abandoned, it ain’t far. Come on.” finally some good news. 

“Come on!” Dutch yelled to the rest of the caravan. There was a chorus of yah’s and git goin's as the gang began to tear through the snow, following Arthur as fast as they could. Until they finally saw it. The old mining town. It was a collection of three houses, a barn, and a church. All dilapidated and run down. BUt it would be enough for the few days that they were stuck on the mountain. 

Charles pulled the wagon up to the side of some old hitching stations. Viola and Charles began to unstrap the horses from the wagons and guide them into the barn to rest. Thankful the barn was fully intact. Only the best for Knight, her shire. She fed him some sugar cubes and then began to brush him. She brushed his main and tale and then breaded it. She covered him in a big horse blanket and then went outside to help everyone unpack. Javier was standing outside the middle house, which she guessed would be the main house. 

Inside the girls stood around Davey on the cot trying to keep him alive. Not long after Viola entered the rest of the gang entered and formed a semicircle around the dying man. Tilly and Mary-Beth started to cry. Karen leaned against the wall and sat down. Abigail turned toward dutch who was in the center of the room. 

“Davey’s dead.” 

Viola looked around for her father and spotted him sitting on an old stool not far from where Dutch was standing. She walked over to him and sat on the floor in front of him. He rested his hand on her shoulder and she leaned back into his legs. 

‘This weather will kill him. His lungs are already bad.’ Viola thought and grabbed Hosea’s hand. Dutch and Arthur walked over to the two of them as Mary-beth put two coins over the deceased eyes. And Then Miss Grimshaw began to give orders to those surrounding. 

“What are we gonna do? We need supplies.” Hosea said.

“Well first of all you’re g0nna stay here.”

“Yeah pa, this weather’s not good for your lungs.” Viola added ad Arhur agreed. Not wanting to see the man he considered his father perish in the cold just as Davy had. 

“I sent John and Micah out scouting ahead.” Dutch continued and rubbed his gloved hands together. “And Arthur and I are gonna ride out, and see if we can find one of em’.” 

“In this?” Arthur motioned to the growing storm outside.

Dutch looked out the door, “Just for a short bit… I don’t see what other choice we have.” He turned and looked towards the group of outlaws and misfits. 

“Listen. Listen to me, all of you for a moment. Now we’ve had… well, a bad couple of days. I loved Davy… Jenny… Sean, Mac- they may be okay, we don't know. But we lost some folks. Now, if I could throw myself in the ground, in their stead, I’d do it … gladly. But, we are gonna ride out, and we are gonna find some food. Everybody, we’re safe now. Their ain’t nobody following us through a storm like this one, And by the time they get here, we’re gonna be- well, we're gonna be long gone. We’ve been through worse than this before. Mr. Pearson, Miss Grimshaw I need you to turn this place into a camp. We may be here for a few days. Now all of you, all of you- get yourselves warm. Stay strong. Stay with me. We ain’t done yet. Come on Arthur.” Duttch grabbed his lantern and rushed back into the cold. Viola went after the, 

“I’m coming too.”

“No, you don't have the proper clothes and we don't know when we’ll get back.” Arthur said sternly and grabbed Taima from the barn. Viola began to saddle up Knight. 

“I don’t care if I'm coming, I cant- I wont sit here and just wait for something to happen. I’m capable of more than that.” She swung her leg over the Shire’s large back and clicked her tongue. She left the barn. Arthur Grumbled and followed her out. 

“Viola Please.” 

“Nope, I’m not listening.” She said and met Dutch by the entrance of the abandoned town. “Dutch I’m coming too.” 

“Good, we don’t know what we’re doing so we may need all the man power we need. Plus Arthur lost all his weapons on Boadicea. Sorry about that by the way Arthur. I know you loved that horse.” Dutch said and lit a Cigar. No matter where they were Dutch always had cigars. Which was weird since he never left camp, so who was buying them for him? Viola nor Arthur knew. 

“Alright well let’s get going. It’s been a long enough day.” Arthur grumbled and started his horse forward. The three of them cantered in a triangle formation for a while. Arthur and Dutch in the front and Viola in the back. Viola knew why, Arthur didn’t want her to come in the first place so he would ride in front in case anything would happen. He’s been like this ever since that job in Deer Creek where she got shot in the side. It had been 3 years since that job and even still she has to ride in the second formation next to John. 

They each held their lanterns out in front of them as they crossed the small stream and made it onto the trail they came in from. Eventually a lantern started showing through the storm opposite of them. 

“You up ahead! Who's there?” Dutch yelled. 

“Micah. Gentlemen.” He looked at the two men in front of him and then saw Viola behind Arthur. “Vi.” He smirked through is gross mustache and Viola Scoffed. 

“You don’t get to call me that Micah.” She responded curtly. 

“Yeah whatever.” He responded back. But before he could say anything else back, Dutch interjected.

“Find anything?”

“I think so. A little homestead down thataway.”

“Okay. Anyone home?” Dutch said nodding. Finally their luck may have turned. But probably not. 

“Sure. Place’s ablaze with noise and light. Sounded like a party.” Micah said in his voice that always sounded condescending and like something cruel was going to fall from his lips. Viola scrunched up her nose. Not only from the sound of Micah’s putrid voice but from the fact that they were probably going to pillage this poor family’s house. 

“Let's go see.” 

“Follow me.” 

——————————-

There were intact people at the homestead. Fortunately they were O’Driscolls so Viola didn’t feel too bad about putting a bullet through each of their skulls.

Viola began to help Arthur pick through the house. While searching the dresser she found a framed picture of the couple that lived here before they were killed. She flipped the frame. 

‘Jake and Sadie Adler’ it was a wedding photo. Viola took it out of the frame and stuffed it into her satchel. She had a habit of taking the photos from the homesteads they robbed. It was a way to feel okay about what she did knowing she was keeping the memory of the people alive. She had lost all the other photos in Blackwater. Hopefully the Pinkertons would steal them for evidence or whatever they did. 

“Viola! Arthur! Get out here!” Dutch yelped from the outside. The pair looked at each other and stuffed some final things in their bags before going back outside.

“Viola, here.” Arthur said as they pushed open the door. He was handing her a jacket. 

“Where’d you get this?” She said and admired it. It was a thick wool jacket with fur on the collar. She pulled it on and immediately felt warmer. 

“I found it in the dresser. Figured the poor people who lived here don’t need it anymore . I grabbed another jacket for Tilly. Hers is from when we first found her.” 

Viola smiled. She had found Tilly begging on a street corner in some random town she couldn’t remember the name of. If people didn’t give her anything she would walk behind them and take the things from their pockets. No one ever noticed until it was two late. Viola introduced herself and from there it was history. She was at least ten years younger than Viola and Arthur. But she was around the same age as John who they found a few years earlier. 

When they stepped back into the storm Dutch and Micah were conversing outside. Viola and Arthur couldn’t hear what they were saying over the wind. 

“Ah finally you two have come out. Arthur, can you investigate the barn? Vi, help me with the horses. Micah go see if you can find anything left in the house we might have missed.” The other two men dispersed to do what they were told and Viola and Ditch gathered the horses. Until there was a gunshot and Viola’s blood ran cold. The two of them looked at each other before they bolted to the barn. Arthur had a man pinned down by his throat in the barn. Viola was able to breath. She didn’t need to see Arthur choke out the last remaining O’Driscoll so she walked back to the horse. Short after Dutch arrived. 

“Dutch, can I ask you a question?” She said and brushed the snow from Knight’s rump. 

“Anything.” He said. 

“What happened on that boat?”

“It was bad Vi, that’s all I’ll say.” He said, not giving her a formal answer. Dutch was so secretive constantly. Ever since Annabelle died it was like Dutch lost his faith in women. He rarely confided in her like he used to when she was in her early twenties. 

Soon Arthur came out with a brown Tennessee Walker. 

“You keepin him?” Viola asked. 

“Yeah, he seems to be a good enough horse. He won’t be the fastest but I can get another one when we get to the next town.”

They were waiting for Micah to finish whatever the hell he was doing in the house when there was a loud crash from inside the house. The three of them rushed into the house to find a women holding a knife to Micah while he was jumping around and laughing like the creep he was. 

“Look what I found in the cellar.” He laughed, “Crazy thing ain’t you!” 

“Micah! Leave her alone!” Violet yelled. She had enough of Micah, hadn’t even been around him more than an hour and he was already on her nerves. 

“I wasn’t doin’ nothin’!” He defended, “she’s one of them O’Driscolls.” 

“No she ain’t Micah! Look at her!” Dutch yelled at him. Subsequently the women began to scream in a raspy voice at Micah. The words were incoherent but they made sense to Viola, ‘leave me the hell alone’ 

“Miss! Miss, are you-“ Before Dutch could get his sentence out Micah threw the table on its side, breaking a lit lantern and catching the house on fire. 

“Oh you fool Micah!” Dutch was getting angry at said fool, and it was making Viola (and Arthur) happy, though they wouldn’t show it. 

Slowly, Dutch started to approach, who Viola assumes was the women in the photo she took Mrs. Adler, with his hands out in surrender. “Miss, now it is gonna be okay. We mean you no harm. Miss. Miss.” Dutch grabbed the knife from her and began to guide her out of the house. “Come on. It’ll be okay. We need to get out of here, come on now.” Arthur and Viola followed them close behind. Dutch gave her a blanket from his saddlebag. 

“You okay miss?” 

“They came three days ago.” Her voice was raspy, probably from crying. “And my husband they…” 

“Oh miss, you are okay now.” 

Arthur went to his horse and grabbed the jacket he took for Tilly. And silently he gave it to Mrs. Adler. She took it without question and put it on. She kept the blanket wrapped around her. 

“You can’t stay here.” Dutch said then motioned towards Arthur. “Arthur.” 

Arthur went over to her and guided her to the horses. “We’re bad men, but we ain’t them so… it’s okay.” Once by The Count, Dutch reached his hand out to her and pulled her up to ride side saddle. “We’ll keep you safe until you figure out what you wanna do.” Arthur continued. 

The, now five, of them began to head back to their makeshift camp. They made it awhile and Viola watched at the women looked back at her home, which was now fully ablaze. There would be no way that anything from her house would suffer the fire. 

Dutch asked what her name was and she answered, “Adler.”

“Adler?” 

“Sadie Adler. I…he…” Viola felt her heart break. She knew what it was like to lose the closest person to you.

“He was my husband.”


	3. White Arabian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John gets stuck in the mountains and needs rescues. Viola decides she needs some alone time.

The days following the gang's arrival in Colter were better than they arrived. Though the wind still howled and the snow still fell from the sky, you could at least see in front of you and there were breaks when the weather seemed to calm down. Of course to Dutch this meant getting things moving and finding ways to get out of the mountains. But to everyone else, it meant finally being able to get warm. At least warm enough as to not die. 

Viola and the other girls were sitting around the fire in the main house. Jack was sitting on Viola’s lap playing with a small wooden horse that had survived blackwater. She ran her fingers through his hair and the small boy let out a giggle. 

“That tickles.” He said. Viola smiled. 

“Yeah?” She let out a small chuckle and continued to do so. It was quiet for a moment before Abigail began to rub her hand together in worry. 

“He ain’t been seen in days.” She was talking about John. Viola rolled her eyes. 

Viola and Arthur had discussed their feelings about the “oh so beloved” John. There was once a time when the three of them acted as one. A perfect well oiled machine. They were family. Viola and her two unruly and scrappy brothers. John, although almost 6 years younger than both of them, fit right in from the moment they brought him back to camp. Bessie was still alive then and fussed over the poor orphaned 12 year old. He was thin and rabbid looking. He was hostile at first and ate like he was a raccoon or something. But when night came he crawled into Arthur’s tent and buried his face into Arthur’s back. After a few months he was able to sleep on a cot of his own. John became another son of Dutch and Hosea. 

But then he left. After Abigail had gotten pregnant with Jack, John appeared that he was going to stay and be a father to the boy. But when Abigail went into labour, he said he was goin’ to get medicine from in town and then he never came back. He was gone for a year. He never wrote and he never gave an explanation. He just left his family. He left Viola and Arthur, he left his son. And after Isaac, Arthur couldn’t forget or forgive what John had done; and frankly, neither could Viola. She saw what Isaac’s death had done to him, she wouldn’t have wished that on her worst enemy. But eventually, things with John had begun to return to normal, but they would never be the same. And everyone knew it. 

“And the weather ain’t let up.” Abigail stood up and began to pace in front of the fire. Jack got off of Viola’s lap and moved next to Mary-Beth. 

“He’s strong and he’s smart.” Tilly stood and comforted Abigail and got her to sit back down by the fire.

“I don’t know about the smart part.” Viola grumbled under her breath. The door opened and Arthur walked un rubbing his hands together. He grabbed a log and threw it in the fire causing little sparks to fly up the chimney. 

“Hello Arthur.”

“Abigail.” He nodded towards her and then made eye contact with Viola and they shared a knowing look. He knew what was about to happen. 

Abigail stood up, “Arthur… how you doin?” Arthur let out a deep sigh. 

“I’m fine… and you?”

“I need you to… I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry to ask but-”

“It’s little John. He’s got himself caught into a scrape again.” He said sarcastically. 

“He ain’t been seen in two… two days.” Abigail was getting worked up. But she knew how Arthur would feel. How couldn’t she. She’d seen how Arthur and John went from being brothers to being almost nothing. 

“Your John’ll be fine. I mean, he may be dumb as rocks and dull as rusted iron, but that aint changen’ cause he got caught in some snow storm.” 

“At least go take a look. Javier? Viola?” Hosea said as he rose from his seat near the wall and walked near the group. Viola and Javier got up and spoke at the same time. 

“Yes?”

“Will you two ride out with Arthur, take a look for John? You’re the three best fit folks we got.” Hosea stood next to Abigail and gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. 

“Now?” Javier said and blew a big cloud of cigarette smoke into the air. 

“She’s… we’re all…” Hosea looked around the room, “We’re pretty worried about him.” 

Javier looked at Viola who was looking at Arthur, the two of them having a silent conversation. Javier could guess what the two were thinking and interjected. 

“I know if the situation were reversed and…” He trailed off but began to walk towards Arthur. He handed him a sawed-off shotgun. “He’d look for me.” The two of them began to walk out the door. Viola didn’t move from her spot in the middle of the room. 

“Are you going Viola?” Her dad asked.

“Yeah pa,” She looked behind her. “I’m goin’” She uttered and followed the boys outside. 

“Thank you!” Abigail called after them. The mood in the cabin rose as they all knew they wouldn’t return without John. 

\-----------------

The three of them looked over the small drop off where John sat at the bottom, fresh gashes across his skin. 

“That’s quite a scratch you got there.” Arthur quipped. 

“Never thought I’d say this but, it’s good to see you, Arthur Morgan.” John said his voice raspier than usual. The scratches on his face went from the top of his eye all the way to the bottom of his jaw. One of his eyes had turned completely red, probably from a burst blood vessel in the eye, but to look at him was gut wrenching. Not because Viola or Arthur felt sad, but because he looked absolutely disgusting. 

“Yeah it’s good to see you too, John.” Viola said and Arthur hopped down to where John was sitting. 

“Sorry Viola, couldn’t see you there behind Javier.” He said and let out a soft chuckle but it sounded more like a wheeze. Viola smiled at him softly. 

___

_ Viola stared at herself in the mirror. Her blonde hair had been put into a bun and she had a fancy headpiece on. Her blue walking skirt bunched up at the ground because it was too long for her legs. She would have to have her mom hem it for her later but there wasn’t much time now, they were robbing a stagecoach.  _

_ She buttoned her collar and straightened her blouse before ducking out of her tent and meeting the two boys over at the hitching post.  _

_ “You boys ready?” She said and pulled herself up onto her new shire’s saddle. SHe adjusted her skirt so it was comfortable to ride in. The two boys stopped their conversation and Arthur flicked his cigarette away.  _

_ “Yeah, let's get goin’” Arthur said and got onto Boadicea and John got onto his horse.  _

_ “Alright,” She said and turned and waved at her parents and Dutch. They waved back and wished them well on their robbery.  _

_ The three of them took off towards the diversion point. Once they got there, they hitched their horses to trees that were out of sight from the road.  _

_ “Alright we know the plan?” Arthur asked and holstered his pistol. He ran a hand through his hair, sweeping it back in a way that Viola found so attractive. “ _ I’m not in love with him, I just think his hair looks sexy pushed back. It’s not a crime to look and admire, right?”  _ She thought. Viola, was right. It wasn’t a crime to look but most people wouldn’t describe some they considered a brother, sexy. But she couldn’t think of him like that when he obviously didn’t think of her in such a way.  _

_ “Could we go over it one more time, just wanna make sure I got all the details.” John said and put his hands on his hips.  _

_ “Okay, so when the coach comes ‘round the bend, I’m gonna run in front and start crying for help. So while I do that you grab the money from the lockbox in the back. I’ll ask them to take me into town so if they do you two have to meet me in town, if not we’ll ride back together back to camp.” While Viola spoke Arthur couldn’t help but stare at her eyes. She had the most gorgeous brown eyes he had ever seen. They were so light and golden that he couldn’t help but get lost. He didn’t like her like that though. She was like his sister. Besides he had just met Mary. But Mary had nothing on Viola. Arthur shook his head. He couldn’t have these thoughts, they were going to drive him crazy.  _

_ “Alright I got it. Oh shit, I think that’s it.” John said and immediately ducked into the trees behind him. Arthur smiled at Viola and followed the younger boy behind the trees. Viola smiled back and then turned. She began to get into character by rubbing her face roughly and jumping to get her breath going. She ran a ways infront of the coach and began to wave her arms and fake crying.  _

_ “Stop! Please stop! I need help!” She said. The horses slowed to a stop.  _

_ “What is the problem?” The guy driving the coach said. Viola peered behind the vehicle and saw John and Arthur creeping behind the stage.  _

_ “My horse just died on me and I have no way to get home. My parents are going to be so worried. Please sir can you humph” As Viola bean to walk closer towards the wagon she stepped on the bottom of her skirt and tripped forward and fell on her face.  _

_ “Oh dear!” The man driving the coach got down and ran towards her. And once he reached a loud laugh could be heard from behind the carriage. Followed by a loud “Shut the hell up” The coach driver looked back at her with realization. She let out an awkward chuckle before punching him in the face and knocking him back a few steps. Blood began to pour from his nose. Which u;on realizing the rich man began to angrily yell at her as he stomped towards her. BUt before he could get her Arthur wacked him in the back of the head with the butt of his pistol. He fell forward, unconscious, and landed in the dirt.  _

_ “Did you get the money?” She asked and picked her skirts up as to not repeat her tragic accident from a few moments before. She followed arthur to the back of the coach. _

_ “Marston’s getting it now. Would have been able to get it with out letting the driver know if he hadn’t blown our cover.” He said a little angrily towards the boy who was stuffing stacks of money into his bag.  _

_ “I’m sorry it was just too funny!” He said, still laughing. “You just fell forward, didn’t even try to stop yourself. You just ate horse shit, because you’re too short for your skirt.” He said laughing loudly.  _

_ “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Let’s just get goin before someone sees us.” The three of them turned to start walking towards their horses.  _

_ “Whatever you say shortie.” John said still chuckling as he mounted up on his horse and Viola and Arthur on their respective horses.  _

_ “John if you don’t stop I’ll spit in your food.” She said as they began to trot back to camp.  _

_ “Why should I, It wouldn’t make Pearson’s food taste any better.”  _

_ \-------------- _

Viola smiled at the memory and watched as Arthur picked up John.

“You don’t look to good.” 

“I don't feel too good neither.” John said to Arthur and then shuddered. “I’m freezing!” Arthur put him up on the ledge while Viola and Javier pulled him back. 

“Don’t die just yet cowboy.” Arthur said and hauled himself back onto the ledge. 

“Come on, compadre.” Javier told him and helped him to his feet before Arthur could throw him over his shoulder again. 

“Alright, well, let’s get out of here before John’s friends come back.” Viola said and they walked back to the horses in silence. Arthur put John on Javier’s horse and began to saddle up on his own when their was a distinct howl from above them. The three able bodied members looked up and saw the grey wolves slowly creeping down the mountain. 

“Of fuckin’ course.” Viola said and grabbed her rifle from Knight’s saddle. Arthur grabbed the sawed off shotgun from his horse. 

“Javier get movin’. Me and Viola will fend them off.” Arthur said and nodded towards Viola. Whom swung herself up onto her saddle and aimed towards the beasts. The pair began to move their horses while simultaneously firing at the wolves behind them. Not before long they took all of them down and were racing back towards camp. 

“Javier!” Viola called out. 

“Yeah?” He replied looking back at her.

“How is he?” She said and they three of them slowed down to a canter. 

“He’s out.” He said and she nodded. 

They trotted across the stream and into the camp where Arthur called out for help. Lenny and Bill ran out with Abigail tailing them. Together the pair got John off the horse and onto his feet. 

“Come on, lets get you warm.” Abigail said to John and turned towards the trio, “Thank you, thank you guys.” She followed the men into the cabin where they put John on an empty cot. “This is a new low even for you.” Viola chuckled as Abigail scolded him. 

“So what's the plan now boys?” She said and turned towards the two and rested her hands on her waist. 

“I'm gonna go get warm. My poncho can only do so much.” Javier said and walked into the main house. Viola turned towards Arthur. 

“I’m gonna go see what Pearson’s got cooking.” He told her and she nodded. “What bout’ you?”

“I think I’m gonna go down the mountain a ways. See if I can find anything.” She told him. 

“Well alright, how long do you think you'll be gone? Dutch wants to check out that O’Driscoll hideout tomorrow.” He said. 

“Maybe until tomorrow, maybe the day after. I ain’t too sure.”

“Alright well,” He scratched the back of his neck. His cheeks and nose were red from the cold and Viola could tell his ears were turning red too. But she couldn’t tell if they were from the cold or not. He cleared his throat. “Stay safe, and stay warm. I don't want you to end up like Marston.”

Viola chuckled, “Don’t worry I’ll be careful. I'm not gonna go get attacked by wolves. I, unlike John, can defend myself.” She smiled. “I’m gonna say goodbye to my dad and then I’ll be going I guess.”

“Alright, I’ll see ya later than Vi.” Arthur smiled back and then turned towards the shed where Pearson was cooking. Viola turned around and headed into the main house and found her dad and Dutch sitting by the fire talking. 

“Hey pa?” She said and he turned around. 

“What’s going on darling?” He said and grabbed her hand and shook it around. Which is something he’s been doing since she was little. 

“I’m gonna go exploring so I’ll be gone a day or two.” She told him and he frowned. 

“What are you looking for out here?” He asked and Dutch was now looking at her with a raised eyebrow. 

“I don’t know. A house, someone to rob maybe?” She told him and he smiled and his eyes. 

“Alright be careful, please. And stay warm.” 

“I know I will, Arthur just told me the same thing.” She said with i sigh and shoved her hands in her coat pockets. 

“You know I’m surprised nothing ever happened between you two, you were both always so close to each other. And there was that time that I thought maybe you might be toge-” Dutch said but Viola cut him off. 

“Alright Dutch that's, that's enough. I-I don't think Arthur ever felt that way- I mean especially not after Mary- You know what I’m just, I’m gonna go now.” She said, stumbling over her words. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment and she could feel the familiar heat in her ears. Dutch and Hosea were both laughing at her not-so subtle feeling about her and Arthur. 

“Okay, by Viola.” Hosea said and Viola burst out the door and sped walked right to her horse. 

“Alright knight let's get going.” She said and patted his neck. She directed him towards the entrance and they began their journey through the mountains. She couldn’t help but think about what Dutch said. Her and Arthur? What a weird thing to say. Why would dutch bring up them as a couple when they didn't see each other as anything but siblings. Albeit there were times when Viola couldn’t help but stare at Arthur. He was a beautiful man, but that didn’t mean they were in love with each other. Or at least Viola wasn’t in love with him. Right? Sure there was the occasional butterfly in her stomach but they were never constant. And even if Viola  _ did  _ feel something towards Arthur, he was still hung up on Mary. How couldn’t he be, he kept her photo framed on his bedside. Which was strange all on it’s own. But Viola didn’t care to think of that now. 

The concept of her and Arthur swirled around in her head for a while. She absentmindedly had been guiding Knight all the way to lake isabella when he began to neigh and get worked up. He began to rear which caused Viola to slip off the saddle and fall into the snow. He then started nervously stamping the ground as to not run away. 

Viola got up from the snow and rushed to the front of her horse. She began to stroke his muzzle to calm him. She gave him an apple and he slowly relaxed. Viola began to look around for what caused him to act so scared when she saw it. A giant albino buffalo across the lake. 

“Whoa.” She said and walked a few steps from the horse and stared at him.  _ ‘Arthur would love to see this.’  _ She thought. She started to rummage through her bag for a scrap piece of paper and a pencil. As quick as she could as she could, she drew a little doodle of the buffalo before he started to walk away. 

“He was magnificent, wasn't he boy?” She said and scratched between his ears. “Might as well set up camp here. I could fish for some dinner in the lake.” She said to herself and began to set up her tent. Then she built her fire with the cooking turner over top of it. Once the fire was roaring to life she dusted herself off and grabbed her fishing rod from her horse. She walked to the lake and cast out her line. Then she waited. 

She looked around at the scenery and noted how it was beautiful in an, oh my god it’s may and the mountain looks like this, kind of way. Then she spotted her. A horse that blended right in with her background. White as snow, munching on grass peeking through the snow. A White Arabian. Just like Dutch rides except this one wasn’t being sold for half of their camp funds. She had to break the horse. There’s no way she could just leave her there when Arthur was riding an O’Driscoll's horse. 

Viola reeled in her line and quietly put away her rod. She grabbed a handful of sugar cubes and then slowly made her way across the frozen lake. The horse eventually noticed her and began to whine. Viola was quick to calm her and slowly made her way closer and closer to the horse. Stopping every few seconds to calm the horse. The horse let her get close enough as to let Viola pat her neck. She gave her a few sugar cubes and then without warning, got onto the horses back. The horse began frantically running around and trying to buck Viola off. But Viola held on tight, and after a while. The horse calmed down and let Viola guide her. She guided her to where her tent was set up and tied her to the tree that Knight was hitched to. She brushed the Arabians coat and gave her the last apple she had before going back to the fire and sitting down. She grabbed a can of beans and heated them up since she gave up on her fish. Viola wrapped her blanket around her shoulder and sighed. 

For the first time in almost a week, she felt at peace. 


	4. Bessie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viola thinks about her mothers death while waiting for Arthur to return from the O'driscoll Hideout and Dutch wont stop talking.

  
Viola adjusted the hat on her head. An old straw hat that belonged to her mother. It was kind of beaten up and falling apart but Viola wore it all the time. Even with the snow she thought it was a look she could get away with, yet considering it was a summer farm hat from the 1870s she was probably wrong. But she didn’t care much. 

Viola looked behind her towards the Horse she had tacked to her saddle. She smiled. Arthur would love her. Arthur always had a strong connection with horses. If he couldn’t be found he was usually grooming or talking with his horse and the other horses. It was like he could understand what they were thinking. She wished she knew what Arthur was thinking sometimes. 

She knows he’s good. He rarely robbed without instruction and didn’t kill unless need be. That is, of course, unless dutch told him otherwise. Sometimes, she believed that Dutch had some kind of mind control over Arthur. No matter the morality of the situation, whatever Dutch said, Arthur did. She knew Arthur didn't always agree with what he was told to do. She also saw how it wore him down. It was obvious when he would spend weeks away from camp after a particularly bad shoot out or heist. Arthur always liked to be alone. Though she supposed he made an exception for her. 

Viola smiled at the thought. She looked up and saw the recently familiar camp up ahead and sighed. Back to the grind. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. She moved her horse into a canter and gave a few clicks and then she was in the main path of camp. She dismounted and hitched her horse to the post. She grabbed the rope that was around the white horse and hitched her next to Knight. She pet the Arabian’s soft, silky coat and scratched under her chin. The horse tilted her head back in enjoyment which caused Viola to smile. She could see the appeal Arthur got from horses.

Viola left the horses and walked over to the main house expecting to find everyone, instead it was just the women and the older men who didn’t do much except drink. Plus her father, whom she immediately went to. 

“Where is everyone.” She asked and Hosea looked up from his book.

“Viola! How are you? How was your little getaway?” He said smiling. He put his book aside, got up, and hugged his daughter. She hugged him back with a confused look on her face. 

“I-I’m fine, it was good. But dad, where is everyone?” She asked again and looked around. The girls were sitting around the fire sewing. Except for Karen who was passed out with her head on Tilly’s lap. 

“Oh, they went to check out the O’Driscoll hide out that the fellow was talking about up at Mrs. Adler’s. They should be back before dinner.” He said.

“Oh, okay. Well… I guess I’ll go hunting then.” She said and turned to leave but Hosea stopped her. 

“No need, Charles and Arthur got two deer early this morning.” He told her and she puffed up her cheeks and slowly released the air. A habit she’s always had. Viola shoved her hands into her coat pockets and then looked around again. 

“Then I guess I’ll take care of the horses.”

“Alright dear.” Hosea said and smiled at her. She looked so much like his Bessie. He sat back down and resumed his reading, or at least he tried to, as the memories of his dearly departed wife kept filling his mind. He couldn’t believe she’d be gone 8 years in the fall. And frankly, neither could Viola. 

Viola trudged across the street to the barn housing the horses, wrapping her jacket tighter her body as she recalled the memory. The heat that filled the tent was immense. The fever radiated from her body so bad that it could be felt by everyone. She had begun to feel ill a year and a half after Hosea, Viola, and herself returned to the gang. The hopes of having another child was high as Bessie had begun to feel the symptoms of pregnancy. But they didn’t last and after 5 months she miscarried. They stayed together in their cabin until Hosea felt they should be with the rest of their family. Bessie agreed. She’d missed Arthur and little John who was no more than 13 when they left. But she became sick not long after they got back. 

It started with a cold, nobody thought much of it. Hosea went and bought her orange juice with some recently stolen money. After a month she said she began to feel better and went into town to pickpocket unsuspecting folks. She used the money she got to buy extra medicine in case the other members of the camp got sick. Then the couple came in. Their cheeks were hollow and their eyes sunken in. There was a black substance dried around the corners of their mouths and they were raspy and wheezy. Bessie couldn't help but assist the two into the examining room. Unknowing getting the disease from the two. It was another week before her throat started feeling scratchy and hoarse. And the week after that she began to suffocate on the same black mucus the couple she helped choked on. The doctor said it was diphtheria. He said it was unusual for a woman of her age to get such an illness but yet he was not surprised as half the town was currently dying from the disease. He told her to be with her family before it was too late. 

By the time Bessie was in her final stages she couldn't speak. When she tried it sounded like nothing but leaky air. Yet she tried to speak to her husband, daughter and the boys she considered sons.

\------

_Viola, Arthur and John were sitting around the fire. Arthur was holding Viola’s hand tightly in his own, he was hurting just as much as Viola was. Finally he had someone who treated him like a mother should, and she was dying. He felt cursed. John felt cursed too. He felt like he just gained an irreplaceable family and part of it was disappearing forever. But Viola was hurting more than she let on. She felt like her chest was tightening and suffocating her. Her throat burned and her head hurt. She had scrunched up her face so hard as to not let her tears fall, but they were already pouring down her face. She looked around the camp and saw the faces surrounding them. They were all looking at her with hurt faces. She buried her head in Arthur’s shoulder. Until finally, her father called for the three of them._

_Viola rushed into the tent and observed the sight in front of her. Her mother was laying on the cot covers in a blanket. The room felt hot, and smelled sickly sweet. Bessie’s hair was drenched from sweat, her face was glistening and pale. She looked dead already. But Viola could tell from her staggered breathing that she wasn't dead yet._

_“Mom?” Viola asked and stepped further into the tent. The boys were close behind her. Bessie turned her head and looked at her daughter._

_“Hi.” She tried to say but it just sounded like air. Tears began to well up in her eyes. She knew this was her final goodbye to her family. She reached out her weak and bony hand. Viola took and and the tears began to pour down her face faster._

_Viola noticed how cold her mother’s once warm hands had become. They felt like ice._

_“Mom?” She questioned again except she kneeled down next to her. “Mom, please. Don’t go. I-I need you.” Viola cried and Bessie pushed the hair back from her face and smiled._

_“Vi,” Hosea started and reached for his daughter but she turned away._

_“No!” She screamed to him and threw herself over her mother and sobbed. Harder than she sobbed when she fell off the cliff. Harder then when Hosea told her they were leaving the gang._

_“Viola.” Hosea said and pried her off of her mother and wrapped her tightly in a hug. “It’s okay, it’ll be okay.” He murmured in her ear. But he couldn't help but think that it wouldn’t be okay. How could it be without Bessie. Bessie was the sun they all revolved around. He felt tears well up in his own eyes. Viola cried harder into his chest._

_Arthur and John looked on. Neither of them knew what to do. Until Bessie reached out her hand and John stepped forward and took it. She motioned for him to lean down and he did, She laid a soft kiss on his cheek and smiled up at him through tears. John began to cry and he dropped her hand and walked behind Arthur. Arthur knew that it was his turn. He took her hand and leaned down. She kissed him on the cheek and as loud as she could to tell him._

_“Protect Viola.” He heard her, but just barely. He leaned away from her and a tear slipped from her eye. She slipped a note into his hand and matched his eyes. He nodded and slipped it into his bag. He turned to John and motioned for them to leave. Viola and Hosea needed to be alone_

\-------

Viola wiped the snot from her nose, whether it was from the cold or the memory of her mother she couldn’t tell. She pulled the saddle from her horse and threw it over a broken wall. She took her brush out of her saddle bag and began to brush Knight. He weighed and stamped his hooves. 

“I know honey I know, It’s cold.” she said to the shire and brushed out his mane. She talked to the horse for a while, tending to him till she was sure he would be happy as a clam. She smiled at him and scratched down his nose. She kissed his nose and scratched behind his ear before moving over to the white Arabian. She gave the mare the same care she gave her own horse. Once she was done she gave the girl some hay and was about to sit down against the opposite facing wall when she heard hoof beats coming from outside. She felt excitement bubble inside her. She couldn’t wait to show Arthur what she’d brought him. 

Viola burst out the back barn door and ran to the street with a smile on her face only for it to immediately drop when she saw that he wasn’t with the rest of the boys. Normally Arthur rode second to Dutch but Micah stood in his place. A peculiar thing. She couldn’t imagine Arthur wanting to go off into the snow like she had. He hated the cold. 

Noticing the concern etched onto Viola’s face dutch chuckled before getting down from his horse and approaching her. 

“He’s fine Ms. Mathews.” He said and laid a hand on her shoulder. 

“What?” She asked. She hadn’t even seen him approach her. 

“Arthur, he’s fine. He just went after an escaped O’driscoll.” He said the end in a low jokingly menace voice. She awkwardly chuckled and then when he turned around she went back to being stone faced. She didn’t think she could handle Dutch’s personality right now. Sometimes, well most of the time, he was too overbearing and exuberant. 

“Oh okay, well do you know when he’ll be back?” She asked before Dutch could escape into the warmth of the main house to get food.

“Should be any minute now dear.” He said and then left her alone in the cold. The other men had long since hitched their horses and gone to get food and get out of the cold. 

Viola decided she’d rather wait to eat so she could talk to Arthur. He always ate last anyway. He always made sure everyone got food before him. A courtesy that Viola thought Dutch should take, but he was too wrapped up in stuff that didn’t matter to seem to care. 

  
After about ten minutes of waiting Viola was getting cold. The sun had started to go down and the wind had picked up. She noticed how the day went from being pristine and white to grey and drab in a matter of minutes. But finally she heard them. The hoof beats of Arthur's temporary horse trotting up to the camp. Although muffled by the snow the sound still excited Viola. She stood and dusted herself off and met Arthur and his horse halfway. 

“Arthur!” She called excitedly. He pulled the reins on his horse, slowing him down. Viola heard a hmph from behind Arthur and just ignored him knowing who it was. 

“Ms. Viola! How are you?” He said, repeating her enthusiasm jokingly. He got down from his horse and moved to take off the soon to be prisoner. 

“I’m good. I actually have a sur-” She was interrupted by dutch pushing open the main house door and sauntering over to the pair.

“You found the little shit did you?” Dutch said rubbing his hands together. 

“Yup..” Arthur said and turned towards Viola and gave her a shrug. He threw the boy into the snow. “I got em’”

“Very good.” Dutch took a large scroll of paper out from underneath his arm. “Welcome to your new home. Hope you’re real happy here.” Dutch played with the paper while Arthur hoisted their hostage to his feet. 

“Do you want me to make him talk?” Arthur said. 

“Oh no,” Dutch laughed quietly. “Now all we’ll get are lies.” He said and looked around. “Uncle! Mr. Williamson! Come tie this maggot up some place safe!” He called out the the two men who staggered their wide bodies over and took the boy from Arthur. “ We make him hungry first.” The two men turned the boy towards dutch and Viola got a good look at his face. His eyes seem to bulge out of his head and his hairline was terrible. He was not a good looking man. 

Dutch continues on, “I got a sayin my friend. We shoot fellers as need shooting, save fellers as need saving, and feed em’ as need feeding. We, are gonna find out what you need.” He said and squinted at the O’driscoll. He turned around and put his arms in the air. “I can’t believe it! An O’driscoll in my camp!” 

Being called and O’driscoll seemed to tick the boy off and he began to squirm in uncle and Bill’s grasp as they walked him away. 

“I ain’t an O’driscoll mister. I hate that feller!” He said and Dutch just smiled and waved. 

“Whatever you say son.” Dutch fooled with the paper once more, rolling and unrolling it continuously. “Well done Arthur.” He said before turning to go back into the main house. 

“I’m just sorry we missed out on Colm.” Arthur said in response and grabbed his horse's lead. Viola stood next to him. 

“Oh there’s time enough for that. Now, I gotta figure out if we can hit that train.” Dutch said, finally leaving, the door swinging shut behind him. 

“Now Viola, what were you saying before Dutch came out?” He said and began to lead his horse to the barn where the rest of the horses were. Viola Followed. 

“Oh yes!” She said excitedly, almost jumping. “While I was on my little exploration I found you something that you might like.” She said and she couldn’t contain the smile on her face. 

“Well, what is it?” He said and began to push the door open. But before he could get it all the way open Viola stopped him. 

“Wait.” She said, putting her arm out in front of him. “You have to close your eyes.” She demanded. 

“What? Viola I am not going to close my eyes, just tell me what it is.” Arthur said but Viola was not backing down. 

“No. You have to cover your eyes.” She said and gave him her best fake pouty face which she knew always got her what she wanted. 

“Ugh, fine you unbearable little rat.” He joked and covered his eyes. Viola took the rein from him with one hand and with the other she guided him through the barn, stopping right in front of the Arabian. 

“Okay, you can open your eyes!” She said and stepped back from him. He slowly blinked open his eyes and stared at the horse in front of him. For a minute he didn’t say anything and Viola began to get nervous. Did he not like it? She thought and nervously began to bite her lip. 

“Viola,” He said and reached his hand out to pet the horse. Who willingly leaned into his touch and neighed in approval which made the corners of Arthur’s lips turn up. “Is she, for me?” He turned to look at her. And though he was trying to hide his excitement, he was doing a piss poor job at it. SHe could see the pure happiness in his eyes, that she rarely ever got to see anymore, she saw his smile that he couldn’t hide even if he wanted to. 

“Yup. She’s all yours. Found her down by Lake Isabella and I knew you would like her.” She said rocking back and forth on her heels. Arthur turned to her and grabbed her hand and squeezed it. 

“Thank you Vi, No one has done something this special for me in so long.” Arthur said tenderly and softly. Viola’s heart warmed at his words and her cheeks began to burn red. He says the best things. She thought. She looked up at him and noticed he was looking right back at her with the softest gaze. They stared at each other for a while before Arthur’s new Horse nudged him with her nose and broke the tension. 

“Oh haha.” He said awkwardly and scratched behind her ears. “Aren’t you curious.” 

“So,” Viola said and cleared her throat trying to get back to her senses.”What do you think you’ll name her?”

“I’m not sure. Don’t think I could call her Boadicea two. What do you think?” He said after his quick joke. 

“Well, she reminds me of Lilies.” She told him and he smiled and looked back towards the horse. 

“Lily.” He said aloud and pondered on the name. “I like Lily.” He said and scratched under the horses chin, “Miss Lily.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thanks for reading. sorry it took so long to update i'm gonna try and be more frequent but theirs just a bunch of stuff going on so I hope you guys can understand. Also fun fact I also tamed the White Arabian and Named her Miss Lily:)


	5. Valentine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang gets off the mountaine finally. Viola meets some one who will change her world.

Chapter 4: Valentine

The train job had… well it went. That was all Arthur could think of it as he packed up the very last bit of the gang's things onto the final wagon. He walked around and met with Dutch, Hosea, and Viola. All three of them were standing around a map Hosea was holding. 

“Horseshoe overlook, that's where we should go. Fine country over there. Lotta land, not much trouble for us to get into.” At the end of his sentence Hosea eyed Dutch and Arthur. Both of which returned the look with raised eyebrows and defensive sounds. Viola chuckled and rested her hands on the holsters that hung comfortably around her waist. She looked at the three men who’d been around her for, almost, her entire life. 

“It’s right next to a livestock town called Valentine.” Viola added. She remembered staying in the hotel there when her family was passing through when Bessie was pregnant the second time. 

“Alright well,” Dutch lit a cigar and put it in his mouth. “Let's get goin’” He clapped his hands together and the four of them split up Dutch went to the front of the carriage and Hosea went to the back. Viola and Arthur remained standing where they were. They looked at each other and Arthur put his hands in his pockets. 

“So you ridin’ with me and yer pa or you riding with the ladies?” He asked her and lit himself a cigarette, but he offered her a puff which she graciously took.

“I think I’m gonna ride with the ladies. Haven’t got to talk much with them since the train.” She said and adjusted the straw hat on her head. Arthur squinted and nodded though he seemed a tad but disappointed, Viola didn’t say anything about it. 

“Alright. Guess I’ll see you down there then.” He said and turned towards the back of the caravan. Viola watched as he hoisted himself up onto the seat next to her father, she let out a sigh and climbed into the back of the covered wagon where the rest of the women and Jack were seated all murmuring amongst themselves. All except for Marybeth as she had her nose buried in a book. Viola scooted in next to Tilly and across from the book worm. 

“Hey ladies, how we doin’?” She asked, wrapping her arms around her knees, trying to get comfortable. 

The women all gave answers of ‘Good’ or ‘Happy to get away from the cold’. All except for of course Marybeth, who didn’t seem to notice the addition to the group. Which causes Viola, Tilly and Karen to snicker. Viola used her foot and pushed Marybeth’s foot. Causing her to snap her head up in surprise. 

“What’s going on?” She asked innocently, causing the girls to laugh a little harder. 

“I was just saying’ hey to everyone.” Viola said with a smile. “What are you reading that's got you so distracted?” 

“Oh gee, It’s an amazing romance about a boy and a girl who grow up together and treat each other as siblings until tragedy strikes and they realize they’re all the other has and they fall in love!” She gushes excitedly. “It’s absolutely thrilling.”

“Sounds interesting, well i'll let you get back to it.” She said and diverted her attention to Jack who was whining about being bored and asking if they were there yet. 

\---  
The wagon carrying the women pulled into the clearing that Hosea had called Horseshoe overlook. She could tell why as the land was cursed and sat upon a large cliff where there was a steep drop off. Viola got out of the wagon and helped all the women down before walking over to the edge of the cliff. She took a deep breath in and looked across the world. She saw far past the winding stream that flowed at the bottom of the cliff. She could still see the snow on the mountain and shivered from the memory of the cold. She was happy to be off the mountain. She was sure that everyone was happy to be off that mountain. She heard footsteps behind her and turned. It was Dutch. A small smile graced her lips and she turned back to the view. 

“This is a good spot Vi.” He said and crossed his arms over his vested chest. Viola studied him for a moment. His black hair shined in the warm sun rays and his mustache was expertly groomed. She inwardly scoffed. He was always so prim and proper that one would think he lived in some high society house. Not a tent that, seemingly, the men in camp furnished considering Dutch rarely crossed out of camp and when he did trouble usually ensued. 

“Yeah, one of the better views I think.” She told him in response and gave him a small smile. 

“Not as nice as the views in Montana. Whew those were something else.” Dutch said and rocked back on his heals. He shifted his arms and put them in the pockets of his pants. They stayed in silence for a while just staring out across the land. 

“Viola you’ve been around the longest so I feel there is no need for you to stay and set up. Would you mind going into that town, Valentine you talked about and set up the mail.” He said. She nodded and turned on her heel starting towards her horse. 

“Of course.” She said but before she could make it very far Dutch stopped her. 

“Wait, you might want to put on a skirt. We don't know what the locals are like and how much they might appreciate a woman in man's clothes.” He warned and pulled a cigar out of his vest pocket. Viola nodded and walked to her horse and pulled her extra skirt from out of the saddlebag. She threw it over her and and adjusted it to fit around her waist. She smoothed it out before hauling herself over her shire. She clicked her tongue twice and began to move the horse towards the main road. As she exited she passed her father and Arthur who were only now coming into camp. She slowed Knight to a trot and pulled up beside them. 

“What happened?” She called out to them and Hosea began to chuckle and look at Arthur who held the reins. The tips of his ears began to turn a deep shade of red. 

“Why don’t you tell her mister Morgan.” Her father said with a smirk and Charles, who was in the back of the wagon, began to chuckle as well. 

“I… uh… I broke to stupid wheel.” He said angry and embarrassed. Viola giggle quietly and shook her head. 

“Sounds about right, Mister Morgan.” She said the last part slowly to emphasize the comedic value of the way her father had addressed the man. She waved to them and then kicked Knight into a canter. She laughed to herself and steered her horse onto the main road and followed the signs that pointed towards town. She looked around. She hadn’t been her in so long she’d forgotten how red everything was. The patches of green grew only on the trees and most of the grass was red. She huffed. The land wasn’t the best but she doubted they'd be there long. But as long as they were out of the snow, she didn’t care whether they were there a day or two years. 

By the time Viola had reached the station the sun was moving from the highest point of the sky. It was only slightly past noon or one. She hitched her horse to one of the polls and slid off her saddle. She looked around. Everything was the same as she remembered. The same old wooden building. She couldn’t speak on the people who meandered about the streets but she was sure they were the same too. She patted Knight on his rump and rounded the railing of the ramp and headed up towards the doors. 

When she pushed them open there were only a few people inside. Most likely waiting for the train that was due 30 minutes before. The room smelled old, like dust and mothballs. Viola looked around as she walked up to the mail desk. 

“I’ll be with you in a moment ma’am.” The clerk said from the opposite side of the mail room. He was putting letters in different mail slots and he put a few more in the different slots before heading over to her. “How can I help you?” He smiled at her, the corners of his eyes wrinkling. 

“I need to set up a postage slot under the name of Tacitus Kilgore.” She said and gave him a slight smile. She was never too fond of the name Dutch had picked out so long ago. Never in her life had she ever met some named Tacitus. And she doubted she ever wood. But nonetheless it had been the name they’d used at post offices across the country. 

“Alright, although you look a little feminine for that name I will set one up, it’ll be two dollars.” She said and gave her a humorous smile. 

“Okay,” She said in a drawn out tone as she dug through her coin purse and produced two dollars. “It’s actually my brothers name, I just live with him.” She lied. She knew she didn’t need to, it was no concern of his whose the name was, but it made her feel better. 

“Ah, I see.” He smiled and took her money and wrote something down on a clipboard behind the bars. “Alright miss you are all set, have a fine day.” He told her and she nodded. 

“You as well.” She turned on her heel and pushed the doors out, the cool breeze hitting her face immediately. She put her hands in the pockets of her skirt and began walking down the dirt road. She didn’t feel like going back to camp just yet. She walked all the way to the sheriff's station and turned down the main road. There were people everywhere. The newspaper boy was yelling about the new edition and music was blaring from the saloon. Women walked down the street arm in arm, no doubt gossiping about the rest of the town. It made Viola feel warm. Unlike Arthur she didn’t hate civilization and oftentimes felt herself get caught up in it whenever they camped near a town. She decided to go down to the general store to get herself a bag of candies. She could treat herself to a few pieces and then give Jack the rest. He was always asking Arthur if he had any so she figured it would be a nice surprise for the young boy. 

When she walked out of the store she sat on the edge of the walkway to let her feet dangle off the side. Viola tore open the bag and popped one of the sugary candies into her mouth and sucked on it until it dissolved. She ate a few more pieces before putting the rest of the bag in her skirt pocket and leaning back. She looked around at the people walking around the town before closing her eyes and just letting the breeze blow her stray hairs from her bun. There were a few moments of relaxation and just the sounds of the bustling town before there were three loud barks and nails bounding against the floor. The animal crashed into her full force knocking her off of the perch and into the mud below, the dog followed suit. 

Viola was dazed for a few moments but then was able to open her eyes and gather what had just happened. The black and white speckled dog had its paws on her shoulder and was sniffing her for the candies she had in her pocket. She looked up at the dog and started to laugh silently. 

“Oh god, are you okay?” I voice behind her asked. She looked around and saw who the voice was coming from.   
He was tall and broad. He looked like a farmer's boy. But he wasn’t old. No older than her at least. His jaw was sculpted almost to perfect proportions and his nose was straight. He was incredibly handsome. Viola couldn’t help but stare. 

“God I am so sorry, he isn’t normally like this.” He said and grabbed the dog by the leather collar he had on. Then he reached his hand out towards her. Viola hesitated for a minute before she took it. His hands were calloused from work but they weren't hard or rough. He pulled her up quickly which caused her to stumble forward a little. She braced herself and landed against his chest. His chest was hard and she could feel his chest through his cotton button down. 

“Oh sorry.” Viola said, her face turning a blood red. She straightened out her shirt and skirt and pushed the flyaways back. 

“It’s no problem, miss.” He replied and they just stared at each other for what felt like forever but was only a few seconds. Viola was praying that he couldn’t hear her heart beating out of her chest. Her mouth ran dry and she tried to think of something to say to him. But she didn’t get the chance as the dog started running around the two of them barking like crazy. 

“Oh jeez. Hush blue!” The boy scolded and the dog stopped and looked down. He sat next to his owners feet and then looked up at Viola. 

“What kind of dog is he?” Viola stuck out her hand and he sniffed her before licking her hand. No doubt trying to get the candy residue off. 

“He’s a bluetick.” He said and scratched the dogs head. 

“He’s so handsome.” She responded looking down at the dog. 

“Yeah, he sure is. He keeps the racoons off of our farm so he’s very valuable to our family. I was just taking him for a walk when he wandered off. I’ve been looking for him a while.” The boy said and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He looked at the dog and then back at her. “I’m Henry by the way.” He stuck his hand out and viola took it. 

“I’m Viola.” She said sweetly with a smile. She curtsied at him just like his mother taught her and he chuckled.   
“You don’t need to be so formal. But uh, that's a real pretty name. Is it like Viola from Twelfth Night?” He asked and Viola smiled. 

“Yeah, actually. It's exactly like Viola from Twelfth night. It was my father's favorite play at the time so my mom decided to name me after the lead.” She said and chuckled. 

“That’s so cool. I think my parents named me after some king or whatever.” They stared at each other again, smiling dumbly. “Would you like to um get a drink or some food?” He said and gestured towards the saloon next door. 

“I would love too.” She said, smiling. He offered her his arm and she took it. He led her towards the saloon. 

For the rest of the day they talked and shared stories of their lives and their endeavors. Viola didn’t tell him that she lived with a bunch of criminals but she told him about her family which was, kind of, the same thing. He told her about his family's farm and the cows and sheep that they had that they sold in town. He made Viola's heart swell in ways that it hadn't done in so long. And she made him smile harder than he had in just about the same amount of time. By the time Viola realized she needed to get back to camp it was already dark and the stars were in the sky. She had no doubt that the boys would be on their way to find her. She _was_ only supposed to be setting up the mail.

“I must be going. My family will be worried.” She said and stood from their table. 

“Can I see you again?” He asked and stood with her. He offered her his arm again and she took it. They started towards the doors. 

“Tomorrow?” She said hopeful.

“Yes tomorrow. In Front of the church. I can get my chores done early and meet you at noon.” He said excitedly. Viola whistled for her horse. But when he was within eyesight she saw Arthur holding the lead. 

“It’s a date. I must leave my… my brother is here.” She said quickly and went to leave but he grabbed her hand and pulled her close. 

“Wait.” He said looking right into her eyes. “I have to say good-bye.” He spoke softly and leaned in close and gave her a soft kiss of the cheek. Viola's cheeks turned red and her mouth fell open. He just kissed her. 

“I will see you tomorrow, my lady.” He said holding both of her hands. She nodded, still dazed from his kiss. He walked past her towards her horse. His dog, who had been sleeping by the doors, following close behind. 

Finally Arthur reached her and handed her the lead to her horse. 

“Who was he?” He asked suspiciously. 

“He was,” She said and turned her head to look at him as he walked away. “Just someone I met.” But she felt that he was so much more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! sorry this took so long. I started a new job and have been working almost 40 hours a week so I've just been drained. also I absolutely love the coonhound in valentine and im very happy with his role in the chapter lol. Fun fact I actually have a blue-tick coon hound. His name is Presley. I hope you all liked the chapter and I'm sorry for the wait.


	6. Can't Keep A Secret ForLong In Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur and Viola get into a spat. Then they go after the O'Driscoll's at Six Point Cabin. 
> 
> TW:Rape

Chapter 5: Can’t keep a secret for long in camp 

Arthur stared ahead with his journal in hand. He had been writing about Viola. She had been so distracted lately. Ever since he picked her up from Valentine and she was with that boy. She no longer would joke with him or ask him to ride with her like she usually would have. She’s been talking about these jobs she’s been goin’ on but her contributions to the box had been slim. Better than feathers and bat wings he supposed but still. It all made him feel just a little cold. He had few friends among the gang. Sure everyone in the gang was his family, but they weren’t all his friends. He felt like he could trust Charles, Hosea, and Viola the most. They were his friends. Folks like Micah and Bill would shove his face in the mud any chance they got if it meant getting in good with Dutch. 

Arthur sighed and put his journal and pencil bag in his satchel and stood up. It was nearly noon. Just about the time Viola would escape. He looked over and saw her doing her pre-tack routine. He rolled his eyes. He didn’t know why it bothered him so much, it’s not like they hadn’t had secrets before. Arthur kept Mary a secret for almost the entire duration of their relationship. As well as other secret affairs he had among the years. And he was sure she had too. There were always days here and there where Viola would leave and not come back. She always smelled like fancy cologne so it was clear what she was doing. But she never discussed who she was with or to what extent she was with them. She would always put stacks of cash in the camp funds box so it never really mattered. But this time she wasn’t putting much in.   
Arthur rubbed his face, he didn’t want to think about Viola like that. She was never like the other women in camp and he knew that. Not that he ever felt what the other women in camp did was wrong but, Viola was just… she was. What was Viola? 

Viola was Hosea’s daughter and his partner. He couldn’t deny that when they were younger and in their teens he didn’t feel that swell of joy fill his heart when their hands would brush while they walked, or the whispered conversations they had after lights out. But that was years ago and this was now. So why did it feel different but at the same time the same. 

He shook his head. He couldn’t continue to let his thoughts wander, he had to take care of the O’Driscoll that was still in camp. 

Viola on the other hand had been letting her thoughts wander. The last two weeks with Henry had been some of the best of her life. She never truly got to experience love like her father, Arthur, or even Dutch. And it was true, Viola loved him. Just the thought of his strong hands gripping her waist sent a crimson blush to her cheeks and a smile to her face. The girls in camp seem to have figured out that Viola had a beau. How could they not. They would question her relentlessly when they washed and mended the clothes. They always teased how she never wore pants anymore and how she always did her hair up real nice before leaving the camp. She confessed to having a secret romance, as Marybeth had called it, but she refused to say his name. 

She loved Henry. She did. And for the first time ever, she didn’t feel like a criminal every time she walked through town. She felt like a lady. 

Viola brushed the last bit of Knights mane before feeling satisfied enough. She was just about to put her foot in the stirrup and haul herself onto the shire before her name was called. 

“Viola!” Was called by a raspy voice. She looked and saw John motioning her over. She did not have time for this. She groaned and put her foot down before quickly walking over to John. 

“What?” She asked harshly. 

“Kieran is going to show us the O’Driscoll hideout.” He said motioning to the boy on the back of his horse. Viola shrugged. 

“Okay so?” She knew where this was heading. He was going to ask her to come. Next to him and Arthur she had the best aim in camp. 

“Dutch wants you to come.” He states. She looks behind him to where Dutch is standing smoking a cigar and talking to Marybeth. 

“Why, aren’t You, Bill, and Arthur enough?” She was annoyed. She promised Henry to meet him by the church at noon. 

“He just wanted you to come. It’s not like you have anything better to do.” He says in his typical snarky John fashion. 

Viola crossed her arms across her chest. “And you know that, how?” She was annoyed. 

“It’s obvious, you leave for hours everyday and you don’t contribute to camp. If you don’t go the rest of camp will be out for you.” He was also clearly getting annoyed. Arthur had been watching this unfold silently. After the slight from Bill he really didn’t feel the need to argue but he wanted to leave. 

“For your information John,” She walked closer to him. “I have been working on a lead in town…” She continued on but Arthur couldn’t continue to listen, they needed to leave.

“For Christ's sake Viola just get on your horse and let's go! He wasn’t askin he was tellin!” He yelled at her. She immediately dropped her attitude and looked at him like she was drenched in rain. He rarely yelled, ever. And certainly never at her. That warm feeling she was feeling before was gone instead all she felt was guilt. She hated making Arthur feel angry or upset. So without another word she got up on her horse and looked back at them. 

“Can I just do something first? Please, it's important.” She pleaded and gave her best puppy dog eyes. Bill groaned and was about to argue. 

“Fine, but I’m going with you.” Arthur said and willed his horse into a trot. The others falling close behind. Viola sat for a few seconds before calming herself down and pushing her horse next to Arthur’s. 

“Okay here’s the plan. Me an’ Viola will do whatever she needs to do quickly and then meet you two as the location. Wait before I get there before acting. Got it?” He said. 

“Got it.” They replied. And not after long they split. Viola and Arthur towards Valentine and the others towards the O’Driscolls. The pair race down the dirt road in order to keep time. Until Arthur slows Miss Lily down. Viola slows down so as to not crash into him and fly off her horse. 

“Why are we slowing?” She asked annoyed. The faster they get there the quicker she could get over the hurt in Henry's eyes. 

“What are we doing? Why is it so important you talk to this guy if you’re just gonna scam im’?” Arthur asks. 

“I'm not scamming him.” she says quickly and her face flushes red. She turns and looks away from him, her grip on the reigns tightening. She didn’t know it made her nervous to tell Arthur about Henry. Maybe because she was worried that he would think ill of her starting a relationship with some one in a town we aren’t sure of. 

“What?” He asks. He looks right at her and she turns her head back towards him and lets out a groan. 

“I wasn’t ready to tell any one but,” She closed her eyes and breathed in. “The guy I've been running off to see isn't a money venture, he’s… well… I’ve been seeing him.” as Viola spoke Arthur stared blankly at her. “Romantically.” 

“Shit Viola.” He said finally and adjusted his hat. They had made it to the town entrance. “We’ve been here two weeks. We know nothing about this place we are supposed to lay low.” He said, scolding her like a child. 

“Yeah just like you beating up that guy in the bar was laying low.” She spat back. 

“That's different.” He said. 

“How? How is that possibly any different? In fact, how is what you did not worse than what I'm doing?” Viola knew he’d be upset but she didn’t think he would lash at her. Which made her more angry than upset. 

“It’s… You… you’re.” Arthur stammered. He knew she was right, but he couldn’t think of any other reason for him being upset with her. He didn’t understand why it felt like there was a fire in his chest when she told him the truth about the boy. He just knew that it hurt. 

“And how is it any different than Mary? We weren’t in town two days and you were sneaking off to see her.” Viola felt fire in her chest too, but it wasn’t the same as Arthur’s. She was feeling angry from the hypocritical words from her closest, oldest, and most trusted friend.

The church was in view by now. Viola looked and saw Henry and Blue sitting on the steps of the chapel waiting for her. Henry looked over and saw her as well, a smile already gracing his lips. But upon noticing her face and who she was with, he dropped his happy look. 

Viola turned to Arthur, “We will continue this later.” She slid off her shire and ran to Henry who immediately wrapped her in a tight embrace. 

“What's happening? Are you okay? Why are you wearing pants?” He said in a rush.

“I have to help my family with something really important. I won't be able to see you today. I wanted to tell you though. I couldn’t let you sit here waiting.” She said and placed a hand on his cheek and gave him a sad smile. 

“Oh.” He said. He reached a hand up and pushed a stray hair behind her ear. “Well, that’s alright darlin’. If you need to help your family then you need to help your family. Just be safe, with whatever it is you’re doing.” He said and smiled slightly and she chuckled. She stood up on her toes and kissed him. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her closer towards him. 

They kissed for what seemed like a while to Arthur before he let out a loud cough which caused Viola to pull away and scrunch up her eyes and nose in frustration. 

“I have to go.” She said, slightly out of breath. SHe began to pull away but Henry held tight to her hand causing her to stumble back a little. 

“Wait, tomorrow, meet me at 5 in the saloon, I’ll pay for dinner.” He said with red cheeks. Viola smiled sweetly at him. 

“It’s a date.” She said and pulled away from him. It felt like she was being ripped away from him but maybe she was just being dramatic. Arthur pulled up next to them with Knight following close behind. 

“Viola we gotta go.” Arthur said gruffly. Viola looked between the two men, hauled herself onto her horse, and looked back towards Henry one more time before clicking her tongue and taking off ahead of Arthur. Arthur yelled a quick ‘yah’ and raced to catch up with her.   
“Viola!” He called after her but she urged her horse faster. “For god’s sake Viola slow down!” He yelled and then finally caught up with her. 

“No, I just want to get this over with.” She said without slowing. 

“We’ll be killed if you rush in without caution. We have no idea how many O’Driscolls are at this point.” 

“Whatever.” She grumbled, finally slowing down her horse. 

“Yeah, well, you should know better.” He said. She looked down at the ground and he looked at her. “We all gotta earn our keep.” 

“I’ve been earnin’ my keep, for the last 20 years. I’m tired.” She said without looking at him. 

He didn’t say anything back. He didn’t know what to say. He wanted to comfort her like he had when they were kids and she got hurt. But they weren’t kids anymore. He wasn’t good at words either. Felt like no matter what he would say he would mess it up anyway. They continued on in silence until Arthur saw John, Bill, and Kieran huddled behind some trees. The pair hitched their horses next to the others and grabbed their guns. 

“Don’t forget those knives Bill gave you.” She told him and adjusted the rifle on her shoulder and holstered her two pistoles. 

“Yeah I got em’” He grumbled and walked ahead of her towards the group of men. “Alright fellas let’s get this done so we can get back to camp.” 

While the men discussed the plan Viola remained quiet in the back. She looked over the hill they were crouched on and rolled her eyes. She didn’t even understand what they were doing here. Why did Dutch still care about Colm so much. Enough to risk some of his best men and Bill. She was sick of it. The members of camp constantly go on missions to provide for Dutch and his cushy tent while he smokes cigars and reads books all day. Twenty years she had been sticking out for him. She was only 30 and she had scars covering her body and calluses that made her hands rough. Dutch’s hands hadn’t done a day of hard work and years. She should have followed in John’s footsteps and ran. She looked over as Arthur creeped down the hill to sneak up on an unsuspecting O’Driscoll. It made her heart twinge. She wanted an out, but she didn’t know if she could leave without her father… or Arthur for the matter. Even though they had just fought he was still her brother. Her partner.  
(skip to the ___ to avoid TW)  
Viola was pulled out of her thoughts by the overwhelming sound of gunfire. She looked up and she was alone on the hill. There was a whoosh by her head followed by the loud boom of a gun. She flinched and hit the ground. She looked up and immediately fired her gun hitting her target right in the chest. She rushed forward and joined in the fight. Bullets flew past her and she took down man after man. She knelt behind a wagon and began to reload bullets into her revolver but the gun was knocked from her hand and she was pinned to the ground. She tried to scream but the O’Driscoll covered her mouth with his hand. Forgot ole Dutch had a girl laying around.” He said and grabbed both of her hands and pinned them above her head. “Think he’ll mind if I get my fill? I’ve been in need of a good release.” He chuckled and then shoved his green kerchief in her mouth. She tried to spit it out but couldn’t. His breath smelled like cigarettes and cheap booze and it invaded her nostrils as he spoke so close to her face. “I’ll put you to good use.” He said and began to leave wet sloppy kisses on her throat and began to feel her breast over the thin cloth of her blouse. 

Viola screamed behind the cloth stuck in her mouth but was quickly shut up when punched her in the face. “Shut up! No use in screamin’ ain’t no body gon’ hear you.” He resumed grabbing at her boob and moved to unbutton the buttons on her blouse. Hot tears poured out the side of her eyes. She could still hear the gunshots going off in the background. N0 one was going to hear her. He pulled her shirt off of her shoulders and put his face in between the valleys of her breasts and licked a hot stripe up her throat. She was shaking so bad and screaming so hard her throat felt like it was bleeding. He laughed and then reached down and took his cock out of his jeans. Viola looked away. She didn’t want to see. She could feel him rutting up against her. His grip loosed on her hands and she was able to wriggle her hands free. She tried to shove him off her, but his body mass, and the way he was pinning her down, she couldn't get a good jab or shove in. She began to scream harder when he began to rub at the crotch of her pants.  
_____

“Hey!” The weight was pulled off of her and she immediately took the gag out of her mouth and tried to crawl away. She looked back and saw John beating the shit out of the O’Driscoll whose hands she could still feel on her body. She watched as, almost as if in slow motion, as John pulled out his revolver and put two silver bullets right between the eyes. Viola began to sob so hard her body convulsed. She screamed in the agony of being sexually assaulted. 

“Oh god Viola.” John said and rushed over to her. He pulled her tight into his chest and began to cradle her like a baby. She grabbed onto his shirt and sobbed into his chest. “It’s okay Vi, he’s gone. He can't hurt you.” He began to rock her back and forth and she continued to sob. 

“I’m so sorry John.” She screamed in between sobs. How could she let this happen? She was stronger than this. 

“It’s not your fault Viola. Don't even say that! Whatever you’re thinking, stop you didn’t cause this.” He soothed and began to smooth down her hair. She continued to cry into his shirt, all the while murmuring incoherent words into his shirt. 

“What the hell happened over here.” She heard Bill yell.

“Shut the hell up Bill!” John yelled in his raspy voice. “Go get Arthur.” He commanded. 

“Why? Can’t you get him yourself?” Bill argued. 

“For once in your useless life Bill be useful! Go get Arthur!” John yelled. BIll grumbled before stomping off towards wherever Arthur was. John resumed comforting Viola by rubbing circles on her back and reassuring her she was safe. Her crying became more silent, but the tears continued to flow. \

“John!” Arthur called before rounding around the wagon. “What the hell is the problem-'' He saw Viola cradled in John's arms, her disheveled appearance and undone blouse, the dead body of a partially naked O’Driscoll laying near them. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Viola had been assaulted. “Shit.” He said and immediately kneeled down next to them and motioned for John to pass her to him. John reluctantly agreed and gave Viola to him. She immediately buried her head in his chest and began to cry harder. 

“Oh god.” He said. “Vi, I’m so sorry.” Arthur began to pet her head. He shushed her and whispered assurances into her ear. Until she agreed to leave. He linked his arm underneath her legs and the other behind her back and lifted her up bridal style. Her crying had stopped and she was just staring blankly at his chest, hiccupping every once and awhile. He whistled for both of their horses. He set her on top of his horse and wrapped his hunting jacket around her shoulder, which she clung to desperately. He tied the reign of her horse to his saddle before mounting onto his horse in front of Viola. She immediately wrapped her atoms around his torso and buried her head into his back. 

He slowly began his trek back to camp. He sent John ahead to inform Dutch, Hosea, and Miss Grimshaw of what had happened so they could prepare for their arrival. 

Arthur let out a big sigh and rested his hands against hers, he rubbed soothing circles onto the back of her hand. How could he have let this happen? He had promised to protect her. He failed. She was violated and it was his fault. He should have just let her go off with her beau. He should have just left her alone. The guilt began to climb up from his feet until it stopped in his throat? How could he let his guard down? How did he not notice? How could he have failed her?

*---*

Once at camp, Arthur laid Viola down in his cot. He pulled a stool next to the bed and held her hand. She didn’t sleep, just stared ahead. She didn’t say anything when they returned to camp. Just clung to his shoulder when he tried to put her in her own tent. 

“Viola I am so sorry.” He said quietly. He watched as her eyes darted quickly from in front of her, to him, and then back in front of her. “I should have let you stay. Should have let you be with that boy. I should have…” He trailed off. He should have so many things differently. “I’m sorry.” He gripped her hand tightly and resigned himself to silence. He looked up and saw Hosea leaning against the post of his tent. 

“Mind if I sit in, son?” He asked. His voice wavering. 

“Yeah, Sure Hosea.” Arthur got up slowly, squeezed Viola’s hand, and then stepped away. Hosea took his place and pulled the seat closer to the bed. Arthur began to walk out when he looked back and Hosea’s head was against her and she was silently crying again. Arthur could see Hosea whispering to her but he couldn’t hear what he was saying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! sorry the chapter isn't cheerful or happy. I knew that when I started the story when I got to this part in the game I wanted this to happen. I hope it wasn't to much for anyone. I would also like to apologies for the super long wait. There has been some stuff going on in my personal life and everything been kind of crazy, but I finally got around to finishing this chapter so I hope you all enjoyed it.


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